JENNERGY

Halloween (for my mum)

2010-11-02T18:28:00.000-07:00

I have been asked (repeatedly) by my mom to start posting on my blog again. So I am, although I have much better things I could be doing with my time, like Facebook :) Here are pics of Halloween this year.

No I would never fight you on doing my homework... I'm too adorable.

Ninja Gavin

Summer 2009

2009-08-05T21:31:00.000-07:00

Jas on the bike with Andy.

Ha ha Asia.

Sometimes we go outside and do normal stuff and I feel like a good mom. Erm... yes that is my three year old on a tiny motorcycle. Whatever. At least I'm a fun.

Oh Gavie.

A neighbor boy came by and gave him some pointers, he was 11 at most and was patient in showing him things. He said Gavin was good for his age. Thankyou boy stranger.

Mother's Day (I am blessed)

2009-08-05T21:06:00.000-07:00

Oh my little gifts. You have made me who I am and continue to teach me. I am ever amazed at you complexity and diversity. I love you with everything in me.
P.S. Sorry I am crazy sometimes. It just means I love you. And also that I'm crazy :)

She's in time out for this adorable, naughty little art project. They are all smiley faces. My sweet Asia. So full of sunshine and hearts and flowers.

Jasmine, posing. Candidly. She's a real person now. It's weird and wonderful.

Did you hear that? It's my heart breaking. He's so cute.

They cleaned up the winter shoes for me.

They colored on a pizza box, if you look closely all of their handprints and names are on there. Asia's name is big. You have to hunt for it.

I love these women

2009-08-05T20:12:00.000-07:00

These are moments from our girls night weekend in St. George. I have a confession. I always miss boys on girls nights. But this one held no such feelings! AMAZING fun. When I look over these photos I have a secret fantasy about the three of us living together in one giant house with all 7 kids. I forgot about the husbands... I guess they can have a room. And we will laugh and cook and clean and cry and yell and experience together. Until our cycles coordinate and we decide to move away from each other. And by away from, I mean across the street from. So here's to you my dear, wonderful friends. You are a support to me, you teach me, you need me, and you love me. I love so you hard I can feel it like it's a physical things. It's big and dense and ever growing.
P.S. We bought that rooster for Cara for her birthday months later. He showed up without a beak.... ya. But now she has a project as Rae puts it. :)
P.P.S. I am still figuring out this blog thing, so sorry that nothing is centered rigth and my text is broken up in the wrong places. I am sure you'll all recover.

The Olsen Twins

My sister is beautiful

Catching up

2009-08-05T19:51:00.000-07:00

I have been told my my large following (consisting on my mom, Rae, Cara and maybe 2 other people)that I need to update my blog. So here we go. I will start with Asia's 5th birthday. We had some friends over and made it a costume party. I made her cake and she loved it. I can't belive she's 5 and starting school. I told her if she stopped growing she doesn't have to go to school, she could stay home and be my baby. I would rock her to sleep and feed her bottles. She was totally on board, ha ha :)But in reality she's very excited to start school. She asks me every morning if today is the day she gets to go to "Jasmine's school".

5 going on 16

2009-03-07T13:11:00.000-08:00

Asia turned 5 yesterday. I hugged her for a long time before I put her to bed on the last day of her 4th year. And I knew it was the last time I would hug her when she was four. I felt like I was saying goodbye to "baby Asia" and welcoming "kid Asia". It was bitter sweet. She has been asking to get her ears pierced for a while now and I tell her it hurts and pinch her ears to show her. She still wanted to do it. So today I took her to the mall and had it done.

She was so brave and sat up in the chair straight faced and serious. After they had marked her ears I asked if she still wanted to do it, was she still feeling brave? (I was dizzy with mother's nerves.) She nodded. I had them do them both at the same time.

One, two, three... her face barely changed. I was of course squealing with delight and taking pictures. She loved them and skipped out of the store with a lolly in her mouth. She's so big. And still so little.

You can't tell but they are pink flowers.

My little Asia

2009-02-10T13:38:00.000-08:00

A couple of years ago for Christmas Asia recieved a stuffed Maltise complete with dog purse. Today she came upstairs with the bag slung causally over her shoulder.

Ha ha! It's our rats. The cream colored one is Baby, a Rex Rat(curly hair) and the other one is Scout, a Dumbo Ear. She treats them like little purse dogs. She talks in a sweet voice to them and wants to cuddle, despite their objections.

Please ignore the orphan hair... we all have it today.

Summer '08

2009-02-03T17:29:00.000-08:00

I found these pictures and it made me miss the sunshine and my family.

Lava with Nate

2009-01-30T10:37:00.000-08:00

Nate? Oh yes, I went on a first date. (I have many of those.) But this time I went on a second date! And now it's been almost 2 months of dates. A Christmas Miracle! Last weekend we went to Lava Hot Springs. This was in Alco... like a tiny Walmart. Their wheel chairs were not electric, and Nate thought it was hilarious.

This is Soda Springs. The spring runs down almost into a cemetary.... gross.

The ice everywhere was beautiful!

Goofing off around town.

We both have that eyes closed (or in my case half closed) in pictures disease. But he's handsome even with his eyes closed. :)

Grits and eggs

2009-01-30T10:22:00.001-08:00

For breakfast this morning Jasmine and I had grits and eggs with Andy. It was quite the adventure. We didn't boil the eggs long enough, so we re-boiled them and found them still under cooked. Andy decided it would be a good idea to microwave them.
"Eggs explode don't they?" He asked as he carefully watched the four and a half eggs rotate in there. He pulled them out and set them next to the stove. I was on the couch and was almost hit with egg molecules when I heard the BANG! Like a champagne cork! The half egg exploded! Andy looked shocked (and ridiculous). It made my morning.

Happy Martin Luther King Jr. Day!

2009-01-30T10:16:00.000-08:00

Long weekends are hard for us, we are off of our schedule and get bored easily. Here is a prime (and adorable) example.

They all switched pants. The best part is, Gavin really loved Asia's pink pants and wanted to wear her shirt and keep it on all day. . . I didn't let him.

Ah, the holidays

2008-12-11T18:36:00.001-08:00

I was buckling Gavin in his seat when we left daycare today. He shouted excitedly as he pointed down the street.
"Mom! Is a HO!" hahahah! It was an inflatable Santa in someone's yard. I think he calls him "Hoho" but shortened it today. :)

KIDS 2006

2008-12-08T22:15:00.000-08:00

My parents found an old memory card to my camera and it was full of old pictures of the kids. It was amazing to see how much they have grown, how cute they were and what curls they had! I felt grateful and at peace with my life. I have what matters and that is all I ever need.

From dating to dogging

2008-11-18T22:21:00.000-08:00

I have a sudden ache for a puppy. Expensive, time consuming and as my mom said, "Like babies that never grow up." But here is my logic:
A. This ever-infant state will curb any baby hunger that may pop up in the future.
B. It will keep my already full hands busy- and distracted from the fact that I have a less than successful dating life.
C. I will have someone to cuddle me at night. :)

I decided if I used to money I have budgeted for babysitters (and other things I spend on that help make me more attractive to the opposite sex) on a dog, I could totally afford one! Haha...

Jasmine thrives on responsibility and Asia thrives on mimicking Jasmine, so I have no doubt they would fight over who picks up the poops.

Could totally work.

I have a very fairytale-esque picture of getting one by Christmas, purchasing a sweater for it and wrapping it in a box like the opening scene from Lady And The Tramp. My kids would be thrilled.

Alas, I am sure I will come to my senses shortly but in the mean time there is a chihuahua calling my name in an amimal shelter in Orem.

Rachel Devault Photography

2008-11-18T17:27:00.001-08:00

Here is some work she's done for me. She makes me feel beautiful, I love her so :)

Da way you tall me baby.....

2008-11-17T15:21:00.000-08:00

I sing Ingrid Michaelson's "The Way I Am" to the kids when I tuck them in at night. Asia loves it, and sings with me. It's pretty much the sweetest thing I have ever heard. Angels are crying somewhere. I'll figure out how to load a video for you guys so you can all melt too.

I rite rill fast

2008-11-15T21:46:00.000-08:00

If you see that I have misspelled a word or used the wrong one PLEASE let me know. I am educated, but seem to space out at times and not use my common sense. Rae, I know you see these errors. It you love me, speak up so I can correct them :)

Happy Halloween

2008-11-15T20:46:00.001-08:00

I was lucky enough to have my babies for trick or treating this year. It was really fun, and only rained a little. People at the doors would look at them and say, "You're so cute!" To which Gavin would reply

"No, I dragon."

And he'd point at his hood to show them.

Jasmine was a snake, she's so cool! She has an amazing and complex personality that never ceases to amaze and amuse me. She'd rather look cool, realistic, and scary than pretty.

Asia was appropriately a princess. "Trit or treat!" Delicate little thing.

Adventures in online dating.

2008-11-15T20:01:00.000-08:00

It's really my favorite thing, guys. Nobody looks like their photo. Terrible, mass emailed pick-up lines. Also most sites give you points for spending time online and with those points you can buy gifts for people. Like a picture of a rose, or a teddy bear! If any of the readers date online, please don't ever send a girl a "gift". It's the equivilant of going to the dollar store and picking something really special out for a first date. I spend most of my time on there skimming through profiles looking for one that doesn't make me throw up in my mouth.. And I have to admit, it doesn't happen a lot when you are looking for someone over 5'5". Why is that? Maybe all of the positive qualities are squashed down into a smaller package, so you get more of the good stuff...
Things to look out for:

Shirtless picture guy. If you look very closely there is usually a tattoo above their bellybutton that reads: I love me! And one night stands.

Too pretty guy. There is no good reason that an attractive, single, childless, job holding man should be on a website looking for a meaningful relationship. He's looking for quick cookie.

No picture guy. There is probably a good reason for it.

Slightly inappropriate flirting guy. He will quickly turn into very inappropriate flirting guy.

Way too many picture of himself with another girl guy. One or two with captions about his sister or mom is acceptable. But if all of his photos are with a girl way too hot for him there is a problem. 1. He's in love with a friend 2. He paid for her company 3. He's got a super close ex. You don't need any of these drama pools.

Can't spell guy. If he can't spell, how is he supposed to hold a job, help parent your children, hold a good job that pays enough for you to buy shoes anytime you need that pair of pumps in the window ontop of life's other expenses, and impress your family?!?! He can't.

Here is my favorite one today.

"your hot we shuld chat sumtime."

Specs: 34 years old
Profession- hotrods
Interests- fast cars, big trucks, powerfull engins

Profile: hi im looking for a beutifull girl ,i like long hair, sexy eyes a pritty face and a nice *** .i like real **** not fake, my x had fakes and bla,bla, bla.hahope that dident sound rude,im a say wut i think kinda guy.i like laughffing ,camping,swiming,boating.motor cycels ,driving fast hiking,snugeling,movies, ***,, ,,***,and siting around with a girl i like,just kicken it,

I don't think you miss much by me editing this. The rest of it is enough. VETO.

Babies

2008-11-15T19:22:00.001-08:00

They are beautiful and wonderful. Rae seems to see them as I do and capture it. Hire her, she's amazing.

CRYSTAL

2008-11-15T18:41:00.000-08:00

A few of you know that we had a brief but enjoyable addition to our family, Crystal. The spider. I wish I had taken a decent photo of her, (and I assure you I would have if I had known she would have passed so suddenly) but you will just have to use your imaginations.

I found her on my stairs (inside) and thought she was one of those giant spider Halloween rings, and literally gasped when I realized she was not. She was just a common house spider, on steroids, or who was very old. And probably wise. I called Andy and bribed him to come kill her and he opted to put her in a jar for the kids to harass for a day. I thought she was really disgusting and shrieked every time she walked around on her very long, gross spider legs. Legs pulled in she was about the size of a quarter. (Sick.)

The kids loved her so I let her stay for another day, and actually started to feed her. We have flies. I am clean, I really am, I don't know how they get in, but they do. And they end upstairs pounding against my window trying to get out. So, every afternoon on my way down the stairs, I'd snag one and put it in the jar. It was getting fascinating to watch Crystal eat. (Jasmine named her after a few days.) And soon she started to build a web, and I started to like her.

She was easy to please and interesting to watch. And when we came home from school one day she had an egg sack! I just assumed that she had some sort of man spider friend on the outside that she visited before we found her. But a week later, there was a second one. I decided she was a faker. Like one of those ladies that buys dolls that look like real babies and takes them out into public. :) She had a strange personality, but I liked her. And holla for single moms, you know. She was strong and fast and after she ate she would lounge over her kill proudly (or in a food coma) for an hour or so. And she was at least trying to raise babies on her own, right? She had made a cool tunnel to keep them in.

A few weeks later Andy was over and was startled by another larger spider on my entertainment center. (Is this a good time to ask for donations to get my house sprayed?) It was disturbingly large and fast. We decided to see how Crystal would like a roommate, Ella.

Not so much it appears. They sat across the room from each other always. I'm sure glaring at each other with all eight eyes. Ella may be bigger but she was in Crystal's house. It only took a few days before Ella looked not so good and Crystal loomed over her like she did her flies.....

I knew she would win. Unfortunately, the guilt of cannibalism got to her, and she became uninterested in her food and eventually passed. Peacefully it seemed. I was on an emotional roller coaster that day anyway, and when I tipped her jar and her spider legs dangled it nearly brought me to tears.

I got over it in a day and threw the jar away, haha :)

Thanks gross spider, for entertaining my family and giving us something to watch together that wasn't on t.v.

P.S. I had to look through a lot of pictures to find one that looked like her and it was really disturbing, I have the heebie jeebies now and any noise startles me. AND I think she was poisonous...

MIDMORNING ENERGY

2008-08-08T10:38:00.000-07:00

I added a new song to my MySpace. I've had it before but I needed it again. It sets my insides on fire. I'm home alone so I cranked it and found my self jumping and dancing all over my (enormous) bedroom. Fills my body and soul. I'm pumped for life. If I could have it on a tiny stereo ever playing in my ear I think I would be unstoppable.

HOO-FREAKIN-RAY!

2008-08-07T14:23:00.000-07:00

We've moved. Well, sort of. We're living at the new place and we love it. (All of my crap, however is still at the old place waiting for me.) 1850 sq ft of joy! The girls have thier own rooms on the main floor with the living room, kitchen, laundry and bath. Gavie is upstairs in a toddler sized room off of my loft. And I've got a bathroom up there too. Internet, cable, a yard......! Ya we're pretty happy here. I do wake up to the furious click click click of Jasmine playing computer games in my room, but it's cute. She's a hacker in the making.

FOR MY RAE

2007-10-05T10:09:00.000-07:00

(I just read your blog. I laughed, cried (welled up anyway) and had goosebumps. Shows you can affect me even over the distance of hundreds of miles. I miss you madly already and am also craving your cookies for brunch.)

While in Cedar on my latest trip to find my footings in paradise, Rae gave me a bracelet. Beauiful with fresh water pearls and some other things she told me about that I can't remember. My favorite part is the tiny little box that hangs from it. It looks like you should keep something precious and dear in it. And I do. She wrote me a note that gave me tears and goosbumps, typical of anything she says to me. It's folded up and stuffed inside and makes me smile when I look at it. I kept it on from then on.

The day after I was home I walk to the dumpster near my apartment and hurled a bag of trash into the stinking masses of other low income trash. YOINK! The bag took my bracelet with it. I gasped in horror! Peeking up over the edge I could see it, still attatched to my bag. I quickly glanced around for watching neighbors. In a regular aparment building people catching a glimpse of a girl in a dumpster might guess I threw something in there by mistake, but in a low income community, people would assume I saw something "awesome" and jumped in without hesitation to retrieve it. Seeing that the coast was clear, I hung half of my body into the rusty receptical. I will spare you the details of what I saw between me and my goal. I reached it and fumbled with the bag for a moment and I HAD IT :)
GROSS! I whispered, a little disgusted with myself. I rushed inside to wash the STD's off my hand. (Yes, I am sure they were all over the dumpster.)
End of story: TOTALLY WORTH IT.

Love you friend.